Characteristics and Problems of the Gifted: neural propagation depth and flow motivation

as a model of intelligence and creativity

Francis HEYLIGHEN

Who are the Gifted?Who are the Gifted?•High Intelligence and Creativity

•“Genius”: da Vinci, Einstein, Simon, von Neumann...

•IQ > 130: gifted, > 145 highly gifted, >160 exceptionally gifted

•Potential for exceptional achievement

•difficult to measure

•Specific personality profile...

•High Intelligence and Creativity

•“Genius”: da Vinci, Einstein, Simon, von Neumann...

•IQ > 130: gifted, > 145 highly gifted, >160 exceptionally gifted

•Potential for exceptional achievement

•difficult to measure

•Specific personality profile...

Personality TraitsPersonality Traits

•Cognition: good problem-solving, unusual connections, original, imaginative, fast learner, good memory

•Feelings: sensitive, intense, passionate, “overexcitable”, sense of humor

•Motivation: ambitious, risk-taking, very curious, broad interests, persistent, perfectionist

•Social relations: non-conformist, autonomous, feels different, empathic, sense of justice

•Cognition: good problem-solving, unusual connections, original, imaginative, fast learner, good memory

•Feelings: sensitive, intense, passionate, “overexcitable”, sense of humor

•Motivation: ambitious, risk-taking, very curious, broad interests, persistent, perfectionist

•Social relations: non-conformist, autonomous, feels different, empathic, sense of justice

Gifted ChildrenGifted Children

99.4% learn rapidly99.4% learn rapidly99.4% have extensive vocabulary99.4% have extensive vocabulary99.3% have excellent memory99.3% have excellent memory99.3% reason well99.3% reason well97.9% are curious97.9% are curious96.1% are mature for their age96.1% are mature for their age95.9% have excellent sense of humor95.9% have excellent sense of humor93.8% have keen sense of observation93.8% have keen sense of observation93.5% have compassion for others93.5% have compassion for others93.4% have vivid imagination93.4% have vivid imagination93.4% have long attention span93.4% have long attention span92.9% have ability with numbers92.9% have ability with numbers90.3% are concerned with fairness90.3% are concerned with fairness89.4% are good with puzzles and legos89.4% are good with puzzles and legos88.4% have high energy level88.4% have high energy level88.3% are perfectionistic88.3% are perfectionistic85.9% are perseverant85.9% are perseverant84.1% question authority84.1% question authority

-Perfectionistic and sets high Perfectionistic and sets high standards for self and others.standards for self and others.

-Has strong moral convictions.Has strong moral convictions.

-Is highly sensitive, perceptive or Is highly sensitive, perceptive or insightful. insightful.

-Fascinated by words or an avid Fascinated by words or an avid reader. reader.

-Feels out-of-sync with others.Feels out-of-sync with others.

-Is very curious. Is very curious.

-Has an unusual sense of humor. Has an unusual sense of humor.

-A good problem solver. A good problem solver.

-Has a vivid and rich imagination. Has a vivid and rich imagination.

-Questions rules or Questions rules or authorityauthority. .

-Has unusual ideas or connects Has unusual ideas or connects seemingly unrelated ideas. seemingly unrelated ideas.

-Thrives on challenge. Thrives on challenge.

-Learns new things rapidly. Learns new things rapidly.

-Has a good long-term memory. Has a good long-term memory.

-Feels overwhelmed by many Feels overwhelmed by many interests and abilities. interests and abilities.

-Is very compassionate. Is very compassionate.

-Feels outrage at moral breaches that Feels outrage at moral breaches that the rest of the world seems to take for the rest of the world seems to take for granted. granted.

-Has passionate, intense feelings.Has passionate, intense feelings.

-Has a great deal of energy.Has a great deal of energy.

-Can't switch off thinking.Can't switch off thinking.

-Feels driven by creativity. Feels driven by creativity.

-Loves ideas and ardent discussion. Loves ideas and ardent discussion.

-Needs periods of contemplation. Needs periods of contemplation.

-Searches for ???? in their life. Searches for ???? in their life.

-Feels a sense of alienation and Feels a sense of alienation and loneliness.loneliness.

-Is very perceptive. Is very perceptive.

Gifted AdultGifted Adult

The g-factorThe g-factor

•Most general factor underlying intelligence

•Measures “information processing efficiency”

•Correlated with:

•brain size•reaction/conduction/inspection speed

•size of working memory•energy efficiency of brain

•Most general factor underlying intelligence

•Measures “information processing efficiency”

•Correlated with:

•brain size•reaction/conduction/inspection speed

•size of working memory•energy efficiency of brain

Neural Hypotheses about g

Neural Hypotheses about g

•glia (support cells): more in Einstein’s brain

•myelin: better insulation of neural connections (axons)

•neural plasticity: easier formation of connections

•metabolism: more efficient energy production

•glia (support cells): more in Einstein’s brain

•myelin: better insulation of neural connections (axons)

•neural plasticity: easier formation of connections

•metabolism: more efficient energy production

Neural Propagation Depth

Neural Propagation Depth

•Spreading activation: action potentials propagate from neuron to neuron across synapses

•Process is: energy intensive, error-prone

•-> activation weakens with each crossing

•Propagation stops when activation drops below threshold

•Average number of steps = propagation depth

•Spreading activation: action potentials propagate from neuron to neuron across synapses

•Process is: energy intensive, error-prone

•-> activation weakens with each crossing

•Propagation stops when activation drops below threshold

•Average number of steps = propagation depth

Propagation depth D as function of decay factor c

Activation: A(t) = c.A(t - 1), with c < 1

Problem-SolvingProblem-Solving•Problem= initial combination of concepts

•Solution = final combination of concepts

•Problem-solving = propagating activation along associations between concepts

•Example Problem: baby cries

illness? Intermediate step: allergy to fish Solution: fishless diet

•Problem= initial combination of concepts

•Solution = final combination of concepts

•Problem-solving = propagating activation along associations between concepts

•Example Problem: baby cries

illness? Intermediate step: allergy to fish Solution: fishless diet

Implications for cognition

Implications for cognition

•Giftedness ~ g ~ Propagation Depth D

•Higher D:‣wider propagation of activation‣more problems can be solved‣larger working memory‣more “far-fetched” associations‣stronger co-activation of remote concepts

‣faster Hebbian learning of associations

•Giftedness ~ g ~ Propagation Depth D

•Higher D:‣wider propagation of activation‣more problems can be solved‣larger working memory‣more “far-fetched” associations‣stronger co-activation of remote concepts

‣faster Hebbian learning of associations

Imagination and Feeling

Imagination and Feeling

•Perceptual sensitivity:stimuli propagate better from senses to consciousness

•Emotional intensity:perceptions elicit stronger feelings

•Vivid imagination:conceptions more easily activate perceptual memories

•Perceptual sensitivity:stimuli propagate better from senses to consciousness

•Emotional intensity:perceptions elicit stronger feelings

•Vivid imagination:conceptions more easily activate perceptual memories

Social FeelingsSocial Feelings

•Empathy: imagining/feeling oneself in the other’s place

‣compassion

•Morality or Sense of justice:

•expanding compassion to remote people/situations

•developing a comprehensive ethics

•Empathy: imagining/feeling oneself in the other’s place

‣compassion

•Morality or Sense of justice:

•expanding compassion to remote people/situations

•developing a comprehensive ethics

Flow MotivationFlow Motivation

•Csikszentmihalyi:people seek “flow” in activities

•challenges = skills

‣flow, happiness

•challenges > skills

‣too difficult, anxiety

•challenges < skills

‣too easy, boredom

•Csikszentmihalyi:people seek “flow” in activities

•challenges = skills

‣flow, happiness

•challenges > skills

‣too difficult, anxiety

•challenges < skills

‣too easy, boredom

Finding the right

challenge

Finding the right

challenge

as people become more skilled,

they need to raise their challenges to remain satisfied

as people become more skilled,

they need to raise their challenges to remain satisfied

Gifted motivationGifted motivation

•Skilled at problem-solving

‣ambitious, seek difficult challenges

‣perfectionist

•Skilled at learning

‣intense curiosity

‣wide range of interests

•Skilled at problem-solving

‣ambitious, seek difficult challenges

‣perfectionist

•Skilled at learning

‣intense curiosity

‣wide range of interests

Relations with othersRelations with others•Question authority/accepted wisdom

•prefer to think for themselves

•Are out of step: interaction GP - non GP

•skills GP >> skills non GP

‣anxiety for non GP

‣or: boredom for GP

‣e.g. hiking, Procession of Echternach

•Question authority/accepted wisdom

•prefer to think for themselves

•Are out of step: interaction GP - non GP

•skills GP >> skills non GP

‣anxiety for non GP

‣or: boredom for GP

‣e.g. hiking, Procession of Echternach

Social Problems of the Gifted

Social Problems of the Gifted

•May not be recognized as gifted

-too broad range of interests-don’t fit the “specialist” stereotype of good at maths, chess, whizz-kid, ...

-may be dismissed as crackpots

•Others do not understand them

•Others may fear them as competitors

•Non-conformity can lead to ostracism

•e.g. Giordano Bruno

•May not be recognized as gifted

-too broad range of interests-don’t fit the “specialist” stereotype of good at maths, chess, whizz-kid, ...

-may be dismissed as crackpots

•Others do not understand them

•Others may fear them as competitors

•Non-conformity can lead to ostracism

•e.g. Giordano Bruno

Personal Problems of the Gifted

Personal Problems of the Gifted

•rarely recognize themselves as gifted

•often feel lonely, misfit

•tend to accept dismissive views of others

•don’t know what to focus on

•can be so perfectionist they never finish their work

•have unrealistic expectations of others

•can be too sensitive (e.g. compassionate)

•rarely recognize themselves as gifted

•often feel lonely, misfit

•tend to accept dismissive views of others

•don’t know what to focus on

•can be so perfectionist they never finish their work

•have unrealistic expectations of others

•can be too sensitive (e.g. compassionate)

Problems of Gifted Women

Problems of Gifted Women

•fit the stereotypes even less then men

‣are more inclined to accept dismissive views

•are pushed by society into non-intellectual functions

•tend to be more socially sensitive, compassionate

•cognition is more broad, context-sensitive

‣have even more difficulty to focus

•fit the stereotypes even less then men

‣are more inclined to accept dismissive views

•are pushed by society into non-intellectual functions

•tend to be more socially sensitive, compassionate

•cognition is more broad, context-sensitive

‣have even more difficulty to focus

Testing the theoryTesting the theory•Neural propagation depth not directly observable

•Indirect measurements, e.g. indirect priming ?

•Simulation: spreading activation over network of associated concepts (with Marko Rodriguez)

•solves IQ-test like questions

• e.g. which word does not fit: cow, car*, bird, fish

• number correct ~ propagation parameters

• similar mistakes like real people? 

•Neural propagation depth not directly observable

•Indirect measurements, e.g. indirect priming ?

•Simulation: spreading activation over network of associated concepts (with Marko Rodriguez)

•solves IQ-test like questions

• e.g. which word does not fit: cow, car*, bird, fish

• number correct ~ propagation parameters

• similar mistakes like real people?